How often should I check on the status of my Social Security disability case?

It is important to check the status of your Social Security disability claim at regular intervals. However, the person you contact and how often you should call depends on the level of approval where your claim is waiting. Here are some general guidelines for contacting Social Security in the weeks and months after filing your claim:

Application: If you have filed a disability claim for the first time, your case is likely still being evaluated at the initial claim level. Applications are typically not approved for several months, so you should wait at least four weeks before checking the status of your disability claim.

Examination: After the Social Security office has received your disability claim, it will be sent to a state Disability Determination Services (DDS) office. The examiner in your case will then evaluate your claim and may request additional medical records in order to grant your decision. The disability examiner may contact your hospital directly for the information, and it can take several weeks for the hospital records department to comply. As a result, you may not receive an initial disability decision for three to four months from your application date. If you have not heard from the examiner after two months, call to check on the status of your claim.

Reconsideration: If your application was originally denied and you have filed a reconsideration request, you should check on the status of your application within two months of the request. Reconsiderations generally do not take as long to process as an initial claim.

Hearings: If your reconsideration request was denied and you have filed a request for a second appeal, you may be waiting up to a year for a disability hearing to be scheduled. Many Social Security disability hearing offices are booked solid with backlogged cases, so you should check on the status of your hearing once a month.

Do you have a question about your claim that the Social Security office can’t seem to answer? Type your question into the chat box at the bottom of this page for information about your social security disability claim status.